so its basic knowledge that 600-800 calories a day is NOT enough to sustain basic functions when you are exerting that much energy...

I started StrongLifts a couple of weeks ago... Im NOT increasing weights after every workout as instructed though, only increasing once a week....so for now Im OK and should be OK for a few weeks... HOWEVER, by the end of February I dont know what Im going to do...

Im obviously going to need more than 800 calories a day to be able to fuel my everyday life plus workouts HOWEVER at this point I still have 70 pounds to lose... my ultimate goal is do to 2 triathlons in late Spring...

I dont get into all of that TDEE, BMR stuff.... but I am concerned that my weightloss ( my paramount concern) will me hampered by my secondary yet equally important concern of building muscle mass & strength

Advice??

Don't worry about the weight loss. If you are committed to your exercise routine, the weight loss will be secondary and will happen. I pretty much choose the alternate route you seem to be embarking on. I became a runner and did heavy cross-training on non-running days. Got pretty good, too, as I was actually able to win my division in several 5K/8K/10K races.

Check out my blog, http://vsgrunner.wordpress.com/.

I haven't updated it in quite awhile as I have been dealing with a ruptured disc in my back and just had my second surgery 2 weeks ago, but I think the information is relevant.

Bottom line, feed your body. Carbs are your source of energy, so don't do a low carb routine. It just doesn't work for serious exercisers. If you don't believe me, look at my signature. All my weight loss recordings are there. When I was thick in my training, I was eating no less than 1,800 calories a day, 180 grams of Protein and no less than 130 grams of carbs. And I lost weight like crazy.

Low carb equates to low energy. Try exercising like that ...

Thanks...I figured as much, just needed to see it from someone else's keystrokes...

Im definitely committed... I am also cross-training..... I just have to figure out how to fuel my ody enough with 85% of my stomach missing as well as lack of appetite... I suppose I will be doubling or tripling up on my Protein drinks....

Don't worry about the weight loss. If you are committed to your exercise routine' date=' the weight loss will be secondary and will happen. I pretty much choose the alternate route you seem to be embarking on. I became a runner and did heavy cross-training on non-running days. Got pretty good, too, as I was actually able to win my division in several 5K/8K/10K races.

Check out my blog, http://vsgrunner.wordpress.com/.

I haven't updated it in quite awhile as I have been dealing with a ruptured disc in my back and just had my second surgery 2 weeks ago, but I think the information is relevant.

Bottom line, feed your body. Carbs are your source of energy, so don't do a low carb routine. It just doesn't work for serious exercisers. If you don't believe me, look at my signature. All my weight loss recordings are there. When I was thick in my training, I was eating no less than 1,800 calories a day, 180 grams of Protein and no less than 130 grams of carbs. And I lost weight like crazy.

Low carb equates to low energy. Try exercising like that ...

Hope your feeling better from surgery Pdxman! You have been such an inspiration to me!

I 100% agree with PDXMAN.

I think lifting heavy has slowed my weight loss but as long as I continue losing inches I know that the weight will come off, albeit slowly. I love exercise and to me that's more important than the scale moving rapidly from non exercise. Today I've had 78g of carbs so far and 104g of Protein. I'm gonna eat a Cereal bar before I go to bed because if my carbs are under 100g I tend to get insomnia, plus I have to do a 5k tomorrow. I can't do low carb and exercise. In the past when I tried it I would become way too tired and eventually stop working out. I refuse to stop working out so my carbs usually end up around 100-150 a day and that has been perfect and I don't burn out or hit a wall.

I still drink at least 1 Protein shake a day, I don't drink them before my workout because protein doesn't do well for me when I need quick energy but it's a damn good recovery drink I've been using MFP for the past week and I've eaten about 1200 cals but I breastfeed (subtract 300 cals from total cals consumed) and I did a 1 hour spin class today (MFP says I burned 703 cals). It's saying my net calories is 195. Sorry for all my rambling but I guess what I'm trying to say is eat enough to fuel your workouts. I don't know how soon you plan to start training for your triathlon but I'm sure you will definitely need to up your food intake. I just listen to my body and go by how I feel after working out. During my spinning classes I drink G2 gatorade and I'm now able to keep going the whole hour. *end of rambling*

Bottom line' date=' feed your body. Carbs are your source of energy, so don't do a low carb routine. It just doesn't work for serious exercisers. If you don't believe me, look at my signature. All my weight loss recordings are there. When I was thick in my training, I was eating no less than 1,800 calories a day, 180 grams of Protein and no less than 130 grams of carbs. And I lost weight like crazy.

Low carb equates to low energy. Try exercising like that ...[/quote']

PdxMan, I remember when you told me this, and I really took it to heart. It has helped me tremendously. I've worked very hard to increase my intake of healthy carbs...either green veggies or natural organic high glycemic carbs for energy. It has made a world of difference in my fitness. I'm running a 10K next month and a half marathon in April. I couldn't do it on very low carbs. I'm a firm believer that increased fitness brings increased health, but a lighter body weight won't necessarily increase anything.

All of the above - eat clean, train hard!

PdxMan, I remember when you told me this, and I really took it to heart. It has helped me tremendously. I've worked very hard to increase my intake of healthy carbs...either green veggies or natural organic high glycemic carbs for energy. It has made a world of difference in my fitness. I'm running a 10K next month and a half marathon in April. I couldn't do it on very low carbs. I'm a firm believer that increased fitness brings increased health, but a lighter body weight won't necessarily increase anything.

I'm so glad to hear about this. Congrats!

It was just amazing for me when one day, I could run 4 miles, no problem, but then 2 days later, I was seeing spots after 2 miles. It just didn't make sense until I looked at how everything added up in MyFitnessPal. The day after I had higher carbs, I could run longer distances. I applied it to everyday and what do you know? I could run further and further, faster and faster. I could work out harder and stronger and my fat just melted off.

It is worked for me ... your milage may vary.

Lifting heavy slowed my weight loss as well. But the key word is weight, which doesn't mean that fat loss slows. My weight didn't come off as fast as most on this site and at first, it bothered me. I was doing compound lifts such as deadlifts, squats, pullups, dips, etc 4-5 times a week. But a few months after surgery, I noticed that I had lost 50+ pounds and my lifts were back to the weight they were before surgery and my strength was fully back. So that tells me that my weight loss was almost entirely fat, which I was more than ok with. The body composition tests that I took backed that up. I was 35+% body fat two months before my surgery, and as of a couple of months ago, I was around 17%. "Pdxman" has had lots of experience and has a tremendous amount of insight on this stuff and if you are going full throttle or close to it as far as exercise, well timed carbs, especially complex carbs are your friends. Hang in there "vogue" and if muscle retention or muscle gain is a top goal, you'll be happy you stuck with it. Good luck!

P.S.

I'm over a year out now and I'm eating regular sized portions now. Not insane portions like before my surgery, and not eating like a mouse as I was the first couple of months after surgery. So you'll probably be able to eat a little more, just try and make sure those bigger portions fuel those workouts and you'll stay lean.

PdxMan is da man where carbs count! He helped me to obtain this goal!!!

Wow! That is a great article. Congratulations.

Your quote, "This has gotta change, or I’m gonna die." was exactly what I said, too. The only way things change is if we make a change.

I apply many priciples from a 12 step program I participate in. You are absolutely correct on that.

I look forward to your race summary.

Are you going to post a thread reference to the article? Do you mind if I do?

Good luck!

PdxMan is da man where carbs count! He helped me to obtain this goal!!!

That was inspirational. Nice job. I think you and I were unfortunately on the same road before surgery....now I'm hoping I'm on the same road you are.

Wow! That is a great article. Congratulations.

Your quote, "This has gotta change, or I’m gonna die." was exactly what I said, too. The only way things change is if we make a change.

I apply many priciples from a 12 step program I participate in. You are absolutely correct on that.

I look forward to your race summary.

Are you going to post a thread reference to the article? Do you mind if I do?

Good luck!

PdxMan - Please feel free to post a thread to the article. I'll follow it up tomorrow. National Public Radio invited me to a 40 minute round table discussion tomorrow on the air to discussion my journey, weight-loss surgery, exercise and obesity with a bunch of experts. They might kick my butt on the air but I can take them in a 5K or longer!

What time? I would love to tune in.

What time? I would love to tune in.

I believe it's local to Las Vegas but they do stream it. I'm scheduled from 10-10:40 am Pacific.

http://www.knpr.org/common/listen.cfm

I believe it's local to Las Vegas but they do stream it. I'm scheduled from 10-10:40 am Pacific.

http://www.knpr.org/common/listen.cfm

Here is the link to the teaser:

http://www.knpr.org/son/archive/detail2.cfm?SegmentID=9672&ProgramID=2699